Process of preparing a plastic binding composition.



STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. VAIL, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF PBEPABJITG A PLASTIC BINDING COMPOSITION.

, Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed June 29, 1915. Serial No. 87,068.

1,206,056. Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES G. ViuL, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chester, county ofDelaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes of Preparing a Plastic Binding Composition, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially .to binding materials adapted for use inconjunction with a suitable road metalin the construction of roads, aswell' 'a s for other purposes where a cheap, water-proof material havingstrong adhes1ve as well as somewhat elastic properties is required forthe purpose of uniting or cementing together particles of rock, crushedstone, abrasives or other substances.

\Vhile it has been recognized that a binding material suitable for theforegoing purposes might be produced bv a suitable combination of analkaline solution of a silicate and a bituminous product, the formercontributing to the binding or cementitious quality of the material andthe latter to its elastic and water-proof properties, nevertheless,owing probably to the inherently different characteristics of theseingredients, it has been impossible to produce a satisfactory compoundthereof which shall be adapted for the purposes intended, and especiallyone which shall remain stable and in the form of an intimate mixtureunder varying conditions, and in which the ingredients will not readilyseparate and assume their primary forms substantially in the same way,though perhaps somewhat more slowly, as a mixture of oil and water willseparate.

A principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide awater-proof binding material containing an alkaline solution of asilicate and a bituminous'product, adapted for uniting or cementingtogether solid particles such as crushed stone or otheuoad metal, abr'ves an e e, which shall be sta e un er substantially all ordinaryconditions, and in which the ingredients will not readily separate; andto provide a binding material of this character which shall set orharden on exposure to the air 7 within a reasonable length of timewithout the use of artificial means, and which, after setting orhardening, will not tend to wash away but will exert a maximum adhesiveeffect on particles of crushed stone or the like which may be embeddedtherein.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a process by whichmaterials having dissimilar natures, as for example alkaline solutionsof s licates and reasy or ly su s ances sum as paraflin or ituminousEroducts may be com me to produ c'e suB- an la y perfec which will notreadily separa e in 0 e11 'donstituent ingredients; and to provide aprocess by which a binding material having the characteristicshereinbefore described may be produced cheaply by workmen of ordinaryintelligence without the employment of special apparatus.

My invention further includes all of the other various novel features,operations and objects hereinafter more definitely specified anddescribed.

As I have pointed out, it has hitherto been impossible to obtain asufiiciently intimate and stable mixture of materials such as alkalinesolutions of sodium silicate and greasy or oily bituminous substances toproduce a satisfactory binding material, for although it has beenpossible to mechanically mix substances of this nature the resultantroduct quickly tends to separate, the bituminous material generallyrising to the top and the silicate solution settling to the bottom in amanner similar to a mixture of oil and water, although perhaps with lessrapidity. I have found, however, that I am able by means of the processhereinafter described, to intimately combine materials of this nature insuch a way that without sacrificing any of the valuable properties ofthe ingredients, the resultant product shall be stable undersubstantially all ordinary conditions and will not separate into itsconstituent ingredients, but, on the contrary, forms a compositionsuitable for use as a binding material and for other purposes ashereinbefore described, and which may further be manufactured wheredesired, kept in suitable containers for any desired period, andtransported to the place where it is intended to be used without in anyway changing its character or impairing its properties.

While in the production of my improved binding material I may make useof various ingredients having the characteristics of alkaline silicatesolutions and suitable greasy or oily substances, excluding, however,from the latter such oily or greasy substances as solution being muchless than that of the tend to saponify, I prefer, especially whereconcentrated solution, and its tendency to the binding material isintended for use in harden or set being much greater, and to roadbuilding or the like to employ an alkaraise the viscosity thereof by theemploy- 5 line'solution of sodium silicate and a suitment of suitablemeans to approximately able bituminous product such as asphalt, tar thatof the bituminous or asphaltic ingredior pitch. All of these materialsare somecut, the viscosity of which may or may not what viscous in theirnature but in different have been reduced, as hereinbefore described,degrees, and I have found that if the natural and then to suitablyincorporate the ingredi- 10 viscosities of the two or more substancescuts with each other to produce the binding 75 which it is desired tocombine to produce the material. For this purpose I prefer whenresultant composition or binding material be employing such a solutionof sodium or other first changed by suitable means so that they silicateto mix the same with a suitable filler, shall be approximately equal indegree, a pre era 1y stbne sc eenin s or the like, rior 1 mixture of thesubstances thereafter will to its 251mm ure w 1e bituminous 1n- 5;produce a substantially perfect emulsion, gredients in order to raiseits gi s cosity. to

which will not tend to separate into its consubstantially that of thelatter. For exstituent ingredients. ample, in producing a bindingmaterial in In practice and for the purpose of accomaccordance with myprocess and suitable for plishing this result, it is generally necessaryuse in the construction of roads I may em- 5 to reduce the viscosity ofthe bituminous ploy a suitable quantity of an alkaline soluproductemployed, and for this purpose any tion of sodium silicate of arelatively low suitable means may be adopted. I find, howdegree ofconcentration, for instance a soluever, that good results may beobtained by tion which would test approximately from reducing theviscosity of the asphalt. pigh to degrees Baum and having a relaor otherbitunnpgus mndnct y means 0 a tively low viscosity, and thoroughly mixsmtabTd solvent, preferablv s e therewith a quantity of stone screeningsor like, or bv he a su 1c1en amoun of the the like sufiicient to raiseits viscosity to subsolvent being u 1 lzed to reduce the viscositystantially that of a very thick syrup such 30 of the asphalt or othermaterial to substanas molasses. If necessary, I may thengg; tially thatof the silicate solution with which duce the viscosity of the asphalt orother it is to be mixed. It will be evident that if bitumlnous materialto be employed to a suba silicate solution, for instance an alkalinestantially similar point by the use of a suitsolution of sodiumsilicate. of relatively able solvent, such as kerosene. or even by greatviscosity 1s to Be employed, no difliheat-in the bituminous materlal,provided culty will be experienced in reducing the much nature that itsviscosity may be viscosity of the bituminous material to subsuificientlyreduced by the employment of stantially that of the silicate solution,but temperatures not materiall reater than the the binding materialformed by the employboilin imwm smmm,

ment of such asolution sets or hardens ex- 212 de a r w c the bitremelyslowly, and in fact frequently ree thickened silicate quires theemployment of artificial means, solution may be thoroughly mixedtogether such as heat or the like, to cause it to set at by any suitablemeans to fdfm the resultant all, thus precluding its use on a largescale product. This material, as hereinbefore deas a binding material inroad construction scribed, approximatesa substantially perfect the andthe like, for which purpose it is also unemul 'gn of the silicatesolution an adapted commercially by reason of the relaeasy or oilybituminous substance, is

tively high initial cost of the concentrated homogeneous, underpractically all normal silicate solution. However, binding materialconditions, will not readily separate into its comprising such aconcentrated silicate oconstituent ingredients and, if desired, maylution is well adapted for usgfuigeggJ in of be stored suitablecontainers and transthe arts, for instance in the orma 1011 of portedfrom the place of manufacture to the abrasive wheels and the like, whereits relaplace where it is to be used without in any m is not prohibitiveto its com- Way changing its character or unfitting it 55 mercialemployment, and where suitable for employment for the purposes intended.1 artificial means to cause the binding material When it is desired toemploy the binding to set, such as the baqipg of the wheel in a materialfor use in road building or the like, furnace, may be rea 1 y emp oyethe same may be mixed with a suitable road In the production of abinding material metal such as crushed stone and thereafter 60 suitablefor use in road building and the laid by any suitable means to form theroad like, I prefer for the reasons just set forth, surface, exposure tothe air for a reasonably to make use of a silicate solution such as anshort time, as for instance for two or three alkaline solution of sodiumsilicate of a relada s, serving to set or harden the material tively lowdegree of concentration and of su ciently to ermit of ordinary travelover 65 moderate viscosity, the initial cost of such the road. 11 soemployed the binding 1 I s q a I06. COMPOSITIONS,

COATING OR PLASTIC.

material which is water-proof and with but a slight tendency to washaway, serves to firmly unite the particles of crushed stone or otherroad metal, and also by reason of its inherent elastic propertiesmaterially contributes to the durability of the road.

TVhile I have herein described my improved process especially withreference to the production of a suitable binding material for use inroad building and the like, it will be evident that it may be readilyutilized wherever it is desired to combine materials of differentviscosities, nepr more of which are ofan oily-nature and others of awatery or aqueous nature, and that by the use of suitable means tochange the natural viscosities of the substances to be mixed and tobring them to substantial similarity a practically perfect emulsion ofthe substances may be readily made, thus producing a resultant mixturewhich will not tend to separate under normal and ordinary conditions.

Furthermore, it will be understood that various changes andmodifications of the process when utilized in the formation of a bindingmaterial suitable for use in road building and the like may be made andthat the concentrations, proportions and nature of the substancesutilized, as herein set forth by way of example, may be varied in orderto fproduce desired results without departing rom the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. The process of forming an emulsion of an alkaline solution of asilicate and a bituminous product which consists in substantiallyequalizing the viscosities of the sub stances andthen mixing thesubstances together.

:2. The process of forming a binding material which consists inincreasing the viscosity of an alkaline solution of sodium silicate,decreasing the viscosity of a bituminous product, and mixing saidsolution and said product together when their respective viscosities aresubstantially equal.

3. The process of forming a binding material comprising an alkalinesolution of sodium silicate and a bituminous product, which consists inreducing the viscosity of the bituminous product to substantially thatof the solution and then mixing said product and said solution together.

4. The process of forming a binding material which consists inincreasing the viscosity of a solution of sodium silicate byincorporating stone screenings therein, reducing the viscosity of abituminous product with a suitable solvent and thereafter mixing saidproduct and said solution together when their respective viscosities aresubstantially equal.

5. The process of forming a binding material comprising an alkalinesolution of a silicate and a bituminous product, which consists inraising the viscosity of the silicate solution to substantially theviscosity of the bituminous product and then mixing said solution andsaid bituminous product together when in a fluid condition.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of June,A. D. 1915.

JAMES G. VAIL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of ratents, Washington, D. 0.

